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Global inspiration for the forward thinkers of local government.
| Tuesday, 8 Nov 2022 | Reading time: 9 mins | Read online
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The cost of living crisis |
This week, we’re looking at the ongoing cost of living crisis and how local authorities across the globe are supporting their communities through it. |
At LGIU we want local government to be informed, engaged and connected and this Global Local In Brief newsletter is for sharing.
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How can councils fight the crisis? |
No one can escape the cost of living crisis. However, low-income households and vulnerable communities are facing the worst of the uncertainty and desperation. |
Rising inflation, energy prices, housing and shipping costs are compounding for a severe effect on constituents, and as winter descends, decisions get tougher. How can local governments support people through times like these? |
Many councils are already on the frontline. They support food banks, local businesses and public spaces — whatever struggling residents may need. Local knowledge is essential to this goal. But so are the policies and initiatives spearheaded by other regional authorities around the world. In addition, councils doing their best to support their communities are often financially vulnerable themselves. As always, though, there is strength in numbers. Learning from successful responses to the cost of living crisis will make your own strategies much more assured. |
In our latest Global Local preview, we’re focusing on how councils and communities are fighting a huge, ongoing issue. |
In Brief: featured content |
Stepping forward: How councils are responding to the cost of living crisis |
By Neil Merrick, LGIU Associate |
Countless councils are devising or backing schemes that help people stay warm, save energy and feed themselves and their families. These measures include food aid networks, energy advice schemes and turning libraries and other public spaces into well-being hubs. There’s also a desire to support local businesses. |
In Glasgow, for example, low-income households receive gift cards. Other schemes run in conjunction with charities that provide advice on a healthier lifestyle or energy efficiency. CV-writing and job-search support are also available. Yet more efforts are needed in the coming months as energy and other costs soar. Our main briefing demonstrates the range of help on offer throughout England, Wales and Scotland. |
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Global Local is a subscriber-only weekly newsletter enhanced by detailed policy briefings, which connects you with a community of like minded professionals who are innovating in the local government space. |
LGIU Global Local Highlights |
The cost of living bundle |
Many factors are stopping people’s paychecks from stretching further. Food, warmth and shelter are at risk. This LGIU bundle showcases 17 briefings on fuel poverty and the cost of living published in the last year alone. They examine the underlying components of the crisis and local governments’ critical role.
Check out the bundle and subscribe to Global Local to get more access |
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Cost of living support in South Tyneside |
Councils are often making heroic efforts to support their communities in this difficult time. Here, councillor Ruth Berkley from South Tyneside outlines their partner-led approach.
Read the blog on our website. |
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Curated case studies and news from around the globe |
USA: “Resilience hubs” address short and long-term cost of living issues
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Resilience centres offer a unique respite from severe weather and soaring energy bills. They’re often launched to help people deal with extreme temperatures but can become much more essential to any community, addressing inequities with measures such as after-school programs and job training. Additionally, they’re designed to be more practical and productive than cooling centres when dealing with extreme heat, or under “flex alerts” in states like California where residents are asked to cut their appliance use to avoid blackouts. Some of the first of these hubs were developed in Baltimore, Maryland and are still going strong, rolling out to other cities and states in a community partnership model. This places people who best understand what the community needs at the core of delivery. |
One year on from COP-26, LGIU and VLGA bring you a panel of council chief executives from across the globe to discuss what’s happened in the last twelve months and the ongoing implications for local government of the COP-26 discussions and resolutions. |
Free for LGiU or VLGA members (non-members $49.50/£29.70) |
Date: Thursday 10 November |
Time: 07:30 UK/Ireland, 18:30 AEDT |
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Report: Is climate action the solution to the cost of living crisis? A new report from Australia’s Climate Council examines how investment in climate change initiatives could solve cost-of-living pressures. It highlights how the cost-benefit equation of net-zero building standards and fuel efficiency mandates will become more viable in Australia, as energy bills and the price of extreme weather insurance rise each year. |
Toolkit: Supporting Fuel-Poor and Vulnerable Households
Produced by Citizens Advice, this toolkit is designed to help local authorities tackle fuel poverty. It provides information on the impacts of living in cold conditions, policy drivers to address cold homes and referral pathways that make a difference to your most vulnerable residents’ lives. |
This week's Global Local bulletin, next week's In Brief
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Our paid subscriber edition this week examines the needs profile of veterans and their families and explores what local government can do to facilitate their reintegration into the community, both in the short and long term. |
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